Thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersions and their use

Abstract

This invention relates to thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersions comprising an inorganic clay treated in situ with an intercalation agent and a non-aqueous, chemically reactive, organic intercalation facilitating agent, wherein the amount of intercalation facilitating agent is sufficient to facilitate intercalation and to disperse said inorganic clay. The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersions comprise an intercalated inorganic clay dispersed in an intercalation facilitating agent. Thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersions are used to prepare thermosetting nanocomposite articles.

1 . A thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion comprising: 
 an inorganic intercalated clay dispersed in a non-aqueous, chemically reactive, organic intercalation facilitating agent, wherein the amount of intercalation facilitating agent is sufficient to facilitate intercalation and to disperse said inorganic clay.    
     
     
         2 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 1  wherein the nanodispersion is prepared in situ by contacting the inorganic clay with a mixture of a quaternary ammonium salt and the intercalation facilitating agent.  
     
     
         3 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 2  wherein the intercalation facilitating agent is a monomer and/or resin that is compatible with the inorganic clay and quaternary ammonium salt used to prepare the inorganic clay nanodispersion.  
     
     
         4 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 3  wherein the Brookfield viscosity of the nanodispersion is from 200 to 100,000 cps at 25° C.  
     
     
         5 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 4  wherein the inorganic clay is montmorillonite clay.  
     
     
         6 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 5  wherein the intercalation facilitating agent is selected from the group consisting of styrene monomer, acrylic monomer, epoxy resins, and polyols.  
     
     
         7 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion comprising the inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 1  and a curative.  
     
     
         8 . The thermosetting inorganic clay nanodispersion of  claim 7  wherein styrene is used as the agent that facilitates intercalation, an unsaturated polyester is used as the curative, and a peroxide is used as the catalyst at elevated temperatures.  
     
     
         9 . The thermosetting inorganic nanodispersion of  claim 7  wherein an epoxy resin is used as the resin that facilitates intercalation and a polyamide is used as the curative with a tertiary amine as a catalyst.  
     
     
         10 . The thermosetting inorganic nanodispersion of  claim 7  wherein a polyol is used as the resin that facilitates intercalation, an organic polyisocyanate is used as the as the curative, and a tertiary amine is used as the catalyst.  
     
     
         11 . The thermosetting inorganic nanodispersion of  claim 7  wherein an epoxy resin is used as the resin that facilitates intercalation, a polyfunctional amine is used as the curative.  
     
     
         12 . The thermosetting inorganic nanodispersion of claims  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10  or  11 , which further comprises a filler.  
     
     
         13 . A process for preparing a thermosetting nanocomposite article comprising 
 (a) introducing the composition of  claim 12  into a pattern to form a shape;    (b) curing the shape prepared by (a).    
     
     
         14 . A thermosetting nanocomposite article prepared in accordance with  claim 13 .  
     
     
         15 . A process for preparing an inorganic clay nanodispersion in the absence of water comprising: 
 mixing an inorganic clay in situ with an intercalation agent and a non-aqueous, chemically reactive, organic intercalation facilitating agent, wherein the amount of intercalation facilitating agent is sufficient to facilitate intercalation and to disperse said inorganic clay.    
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the intercalation agent is a quaternary ammonium salt and the inorganic clay is montmorillonite clay.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of 25° C. to 80° C.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17  wherein from 20 to 100 percent of the cations of the cationic inorganic clay are replaced with the cations of the cationic surfactant.  
     
     
         22 . The process of claim  21  wherein the monomer and/or polymer used to facilitate intercalation and the intercalation agent are mixed together before adding them to the inorganic clay.